Martin James Hunt

A 38-year-old man from Gillingham has been sentenced to two years in prison following the discovery of more than 650 indecent images of children on a concealed iPhone. Martin James Hunt, residing on Fairey Crescent, appeared at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday, 26 July 2019, where he admitted to three offences of making indecent images of children and breaching a sexual harm prevention order.

Hunt had previously been convicted in February 2017 for offences involving indecent images of children, resulting in the imposition of a sexual harm prevention order. This order required him to make any internet-accessible device available for inspection by his offender manager. Despite these restrictions, Hunt continued his illegal activities. On 6 July 2018, Dorset Police conducted a search of his address after receiving information that he was suspected of sending indecent images to a child in the United States of America.

During the search, officers located an iPhone hidden in Hunt's room. He confessed to using the device for three years to communicate online with underage girls and to send indecent images. Hunt admitted to police that the phone contained indecent images of children and that he had hidden it to avoid detection by his offender manager. Forensic examination of the iPhone revealed a total of 671 indecent images, categorised by severity from A (most serious) to C. Specifically, there were 82 still images and 63 moving images in category A, 117 still and 27 moving images in category B, and 367 still images and 15 moving images in category C.

Detective Constable Paul Williams, from Dorset Police’s Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT), commented on the case: “Despite being the subject of a sexual harm prevention order for previous matters involving indecent images of children, Martin Hunt continued to offend and made efforts to conceal his behaviour. This kind of offending can have devastating and lifelong impact on the children involved and we are determined to identify those responsible in producing and sharing these images and bring them before the courts.” The investigation underscores Dorset Police's commitment to tackling online child sexual exploitation.

The sentencing at Bournemouth Crown Court highlights the severe consequences for repeat offenders in possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material. Hunt's actions not only violated legal restrictions but also perpetuated harm to vulnerable children worldwide.